The present invention relates to knives, and in particular, a knife for accommodating interchangeable blades.
It is an object of the present invention is to provide a knife having a handle and a variety of blades adapted to be detachably and interchangeably held thereby.
Another object of the present invention to provide in an interchangeable-blade knife of this type, a self-locking lever for locking a selected blade to the handle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide, in an interchangeable-blade knife, a blade-locking mechanism which affords mechanical advantage in the operation thereof.
The present invention includes a blade having a tang extending from its base, and an elongate handle having a front, blade-receiving region and an opposed back region. The handle includes a tension fork having an axially-extending base adjacent the blade-receiving region of the handle and outer and inner arms attached to the base and extending axially therefrom. The outer arm forms at least a portion of the handle back region, and the inner arm defines, distally, a contact surface.
An elongate lever having opposed pivot and locking points is mounted at its pivot point in the back region of the handle for swinging movement toward and away from a locked position in which the lever is substantially axially aligned with the handle. The lever defines, adjacent its pivot point, a cammed surface dimensioned to engage, slideably and forceably, the inner arm contact surface as the lever is swung toward its locked position, whereupon the inner arm is forced toward the outer arm, to lock the lever in locked position.
A cavity for receiving the blade tang securely therein is defined along one edge by the base of the tension fork, and by the locking point of the lever, with the latter in locked position.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent with reference to the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.